Knitting machine



Dec. 10, 1940. w. D. KELLOGG ETAL 2,224,304

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 29, 1939 s Sheets-Sheet 1 s ATTORNEY! 1940-w. D. KELLOGG ET AL 43 KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 29 -19:59 3Shets-$heet 2 IL INVN ATTORN EYS' W. D. KELLOGGET AL KNITTING MACHINEDec. 10, 1940.

Filed Aug. 29, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY? Patented Dec. 10, 1940PATENT OFFICE KNITTING MACHINE William D. Kello Amsterdam, N. Y.,

and John Fradenburgh, assignors to Collins Loom Works, Inc., Amsterdam,N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 29, 1939, Serial N0.292,402

18 Claims. (01. 66-86) This invention relates to knitting machines andis concerned more particularly with a novel knitting machine of the warptype which is provided with means for balancing the operation of variousparts which are given non-rotary movements during fabric production.

Warp knitting machines include knitting elements made up of needle-bar,sinker-bar, presserbar, and guide-bar assemblies which are driven bycams on a common driven shaft and receive rapid non-rotary movementstherefrom. As the assemblies extend the full length of the machine,which may vary from six to flfteenfeet in ordinary practice, and havesubstantial mass, their non-rotary movements produce forces which causeeach assembly to vibrate, and the combined vibrations cause the entiremachine to shake and rock. Such vibrations may impair the quality of thecloth produced and, in any case, limit the speed at which the machinemay be safely operated.

In order to produce knit fabrics on such machines at a high rate ofproduction, attempts have been made to reduce the vibration of themachine by balancing the various parts which are required to performrapid, non-rotary motions. In one prior method of balancing, eachknitting element assembly incorporates balancing masses distributedalong the length of the machine and equal in number to the number ofpoints at which each non-rotary member is driven. Each balancing massoscillates about the same axis as the mass it balances and it isarranged at the same effective radius as the mass it is to balance andgiven movements precisely similar in velocity, but in the oppositesense, so as to effect neutralization of the vibrational forces.

Such a system of balancing necessitates the incorporation of numerousbalancing masses in each knitting assembly, and as there are four suchassemblies in knitting machines of the type described, a great manybalancing masses are required. The disadvantage in the use of amultiplicity of balancing masses for each assembly is that itcomplicates the design of the machine and greatly increases its cost ofmanufacture. Furthermore, in machines of this type, one or more guidebars may be required, depending on the pattern to be produced in thefabric, and each guide bar adds additional weight to the guide barassembly and thus requires additional balancing masses. For example, ifthe machine is balanced for one guide bar and two bars are required toknit a particular pattern, additional balancing masses must be added tothe assembly to secure smooth running of the machine. If the nextpattern to be knitted requires only one guide bar, the additional massesmust be removed. The

addition or subtraction of balancing masses, de-

pending on the number of guide bars used, further complicates theoperation of the machine.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of anovel mechanism for balancing knittingmachines which overcomes theobjections to the prior apparatus above described, and is greatlysuperior thereto in that the new mechanism accomplishes the desiredpurpose without each knitting assembly being individually balanced. Atthe same time, the new mechanism may be employed on machines using oneor more guide bars, and the change in the number of guide bars does notmaterially affect the resultant balance of the machine, so that thenecessity of changing balance weights is avoided.

The new mechanism includes rotary balan'cing means arranged to rotatecontinuously and uniformly at a speed which is multiple of the cam shaftspeed, and included in the rotary balancing means are suitable balancingmasses. The

balancing masses are placed at suitable radial distances from theircenters of rotation and in proper angular position with respect to eachother so'that they produce, on rotation, forces which tend to neutralizecertain components of the forces produced by the non-rotary motions ofthe knitting assemblies and thus substantially reduce the forces causingthe machine to vibrate.

In the operation of warp knitting machine of the type described, theknitting assemblies opcrate at a fixed time relation to each other thatcannot be materially changed and p1 oduce satisfactory fabrics. Becauseof the fixed relation, the various assemblies cannot be so timed intheir phase relation to each other that the various mo- 4 as the speedis increased, the fourth and higher harmonics occur. The second harmonicis found to occur at one range of speeds desirable for high speedoperation of the knitting machine, and at the next desirable range ofspeeds, the third harmonic occurs. We have found further that rotions ofthe knitting assemblies. In like manner,

rotating the balancing means at three times the cam shaft speed willsubstantially neutralize the third harmonic component. Under certainconditions, a combination of means for neutralizing the second and thirdharmonic may be desirable.

By reducing the component of the forces pro-- ducing the second andthird harmonics, theresultant forces cause very little vibration in themachine and its smoothness in operation is greatly increased. In somecases, the introduction of a harmonic couple, comprising balance weightsmounted 180 degrees out ofphase with each other and rotated at amultiple of the cam shaft speed, in combination with separate rotarybalancing means rotating'at a multiple of the cam shaft speed, willmaterially reduce the vibrational forces causing the machine to vibrate.To make clear the principles (of the invention, an embodiment will beillustrated in the form of a two bar knitting machine including rotarybalance weights producing forces that substantially neutralize thesecond harmonic component produced by the non-rotary motions of theknitting assemblies, together with a harmonic couple, the combinationsubstantially reducing the forces causing the machine to vibrate.

Referring now .to the. drawings: Figure 1 is a view, partly in sideelevation and partly in transversesection, of a warp knitting machineembodying the present invention and showing the locations of theknitting elements and of the rotary balancing devices;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view showing the knittingassemblies with certain parts omitted Figure 3 is a' front view inelevation of a portion of the machine showing the location of thebalancing masses; and v t Figure 4 is a detail view. showing a modificaion.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the machine as there illustrated comprisesa frame ID, the upper portion of which supports two warp beams i I andl2. Warp threads l4 and II are drawn from the beams II and i2 and passover tension-bars I. and I! to thread guides l8 and I! carried by uidebars 28 and 2|, the guides directing the threads to the needles 22carried on needle bar 23. The threads are knitted into a fabric by theinteraction of the two rows of guides l3 and I9, needles 22, sinkers 24'carried on bar 25, and presser 23 carried on bar 21, and the fabric 23proceeds fromthe needles 22 to a take-up device 2!.

The guide bars and 2| extend the whole length of the machine and, asshown. are secured by suitable connections to a shaft supported by theframework of the machine. The guide bar assembly is caused to passthrough its knitting cycle by the oscillation of shaft 30, which isdriven by one or more cam levers 3| free to oscillate on a shaft 32supported by the framework of the machine. Oscillatory motion requisitefor knitting is imparted to levers 3| by cam rollers 33 and 34 mountedthereon and riding on the surfaces of cams 35 fast on cam shaft 38supported bythe framework of the machine.

There is a cam on shaft 33 for each cam roller in the guide bar driveand in the drives for the other knitting element assemblies but one ofthe cams has been .omitted in each case for clearness in illustration.

The needle bar 23 extends the whole length of the machine and issupported at various points by arms 31 fast on shaft 32. Oscillatorymotion requisite for knitting is imparted to arms 31 and needle bar 23by cam rollers 38 and 39 mounted on the arms and riding on the surfacesof cams 43 fast on cam shaft 36. The sinker bar 25 also extends thewhole length of the machine and is supported at various points by arms4| fast on shaft 4| supported by the framework of the machine.Oscillatory motion requisite for knitting is imparted to the sinker barby arms 42 fast on shaft 4|, the arms carrying cam rollers 43 and 44riding on the surfaces of cams 45 fast on cam shaft 36. The presser bar26 likewise extends the whole length of the machine and is supported atvarious points by connections fast on shaft 48 supported by the.framework of the machine. Oscillatory motion requi-' site for knittingis imparted to the presser bar by arms 48' fast on the shaft 46 andcan'ying 'cam rollers 41 and 43 riding on the surfaces of result ofthese vibrational forces, the framework of the machine is caused to rockand shake and the smoothness of the operation of the machine is therebyseriously aii'ected. Such vibration varies with the speed of operationand places a limit on the machine output.-

In one embodiment of the invention as applied to a two bar machineoperating at speeds which cause the second harmonic to occur, the camshaft 30 is given a continuous and uniform rotary motion from anysuitable driving means, suchas an electric motor I0 supportedby theframework of the machine. A pulley ii on the motor shaft is connected bybelt 52 to a pulley 53 fast on a hand wheel shaft 84 supported bysuitable bearings on the framework of the machine. Fast on the shaft '4is a sprocket 55 connected by a chain II to a sprocket 51 fast on thecam shaft 33'. In applying the principles of the invention to eliminatethe second harmonic, the driving means for shaft 54 is such that theshaft is driven at twice the cam shaft speed and .at suitable pointsontheshaft 54 are mounted discs I3 carrying balance weights 5:.

'Hand'wheel 30 fast on the shaft .54 serves as a convenient means forrotating the cam shaft and the associated knitting assemblies by hand.

The preferred form of the harmonic couple;

' 34 to a sprocket ll fast on the cam shaft 33.

At suitable points on the shaft 3l are mounted discs 33 carrying balanceweights 66- and 31.

The sizes of the sprockets are such that the shaft I is driven at twicethe speed of the cam shaft 36 and thus produces vibrational forces ofthe second period. In the particular embodiment illustrated in Figure 3,the weights 66 and 61 are mounted 180 degrees apart to produce a 5couple.

mount the weights in phase and spaced apart to produce the vibrationalforces required.

By properly selecting the pairs of balance weights 59 on the shaft 54and of weights 66 and 61 on the shaft 6| with respect to size, radialdistance from their centers of rotation, angular relation to each other,and distance apart, neutralizing forces are produced, which may beillustrated graphically in the form of two second period harmonic curvesof an amplitude, corresponding to the masses of the weight, superimposedonthe complex harmonic curve of the tion, their angular relation to oneanother, and 30 their distances apart will vary, depending on thedetails of construction of the particular machine in which they areemployed. By way of example, we may point out that in one warp knittingmachine, the desired reduction in vibration 35 was obtained by mountingtwo three pound balance weights on the hand .wheel shaft designated 54in-Fig. 3. These weights were spaced 87 apart, were in phase, andweremounted to rotate on a 3.5 radius. A harmonic couple was 40 used,consisting of two weights of 13.5 ounces each mounted 180 apart on ashaft corresponding to that designated Bl.

,When the machine wasoperated with the cam 5 shaft turning at about 400R. P. and the balance weights revolving at twice the cam shaft speed,the vibrational forces produced were such as to effect substantialreduction of the vibrations produced by the non-rotary motions of the 50knitting assemblies. As a result, the machine operated smoothly andefficiently.

In the machine illustrated, the driving means of the machine shown is amotor belted to the hand wheel shaft,-but it is: to be understoodthat 55any othersuitable means may be.used. For example, the camshaft may bedriven directly fromthe driving means and the hand wheel shaft driven atthe proper speed from the cam shaft.

- Also, as in the modification of the invention illuso trated in Figure.4, the rotary balancing means may take the form of one or morediscs 68free .to rotate on the cam shaft 36 and carrying balance weights 69. Themotor 5!! drives the hand wheel shaft 54 by any convenient means, as,for 65 example, by sprockets or pulleys-5|, 53 and belt or chain 52and-sprocket I0 fast on the hand wheel shaft is connected bya chain H toa sprocket 72 fast to the disc-68. The ratio of' the sprockets 10 and 12is such that the disc 70 68 may be driven at a multiple of the cam shaftspeed to cause the balance weights 69 to produce forces that willsubstantially reduce the component of double frequency produced by thenonrotary movements of the knitting assemblies.

75 If an operating speed is desired'in therange In some cases, it may bedesirable to These weights rotated on a radius of 2%," and were spacedapart 10.5". 1

of the third harmonic, a rotary balancing mechanism including suitablebalance 'weight's and driven at three times the camshaft speed may beincorporated in the machine. These weights may be adjusted in angularrelation to each 5 other and at suitable distances from their centers ofrotationto produce forces tending to neutralize the component of thethird harmonic resulting from the increased speed of'the machine.

The apparatus of the invention thus affords an easy and practical way ofproducing vibrational forces that substantially neutralize thevibrations set up by the nonrotary motions of the knitting assembliesat-high speeds. The new 15 balancing devices may be applied to any fiatwarp knitting machine more advantageously and ata lower cost ofinstallation, than the prior devices and the use of the inventionaffords the further advantage that one or more guide bars maybe employedin the knittingmachine without the necessity of changing the balanceweights every time the number" of bars is changed in accordance with therequirements of the pattern.

We claim: I

1. In aknitting machine, the combination of Y knitting elements, arotary cam shaft," cams mounted on the shaft'and imparting-non rotaryknitting movements-to the respective knitting elements, drive means forrotating the cam shaft,

I rotary balancing means operable to apply vibrational'forces to' themachine tending'to neutralize the vibrational forces producedb'y thenonrotary-movements of the knitting elements, and

means for rotating-the balancing means'at a knitting elements, a rotarycam shaft, cams mountedon the shaft and imparting non-rotary knittingm'ovements'to the respective knitting 40 elements, drive means forrotating the cam shaft, rotary balancing means'operable toapplyvibrational forces to the machine tending to neutralize thevibrational forces produced-by thev non=rotary movements of the knittingelements,

said balancing means including balancing weights, and means foroperating the balancing'means. Y

3. In a knitting machine, the combination" of knitting elements, arotary cam shaft, cams mounted on the shaft and imparting non-rotaryknitting movements to the respective knitting elements, drive meansforrotating the cam shaft, rotary balancing means operable to applyvibrational forces to the machine tending to neutralize the.vibrationalforc'es produced by the nonrotary movements of the knittingelements, said balancing means including weights mounted for revolutionabout'an axis, and means for revolving the Weights. I

.4. In a knitting machine,'the combination of knitting elements, arotary cam shaft, cams mounted on theshaft and imparting non-rotaryknitting movements to the respective knittingele- .rnents, drive'meansfor rotating the cam shaft,

rotarybalancing meansoperable to apply vibrational forces to the'machinetending to neutralize the vibrationalforcesproduced by the non-rotarymovements of the knitting elements, said balancing means including ashaftand weights mounted thereon, and means for rotating the shaft ofthe balancing means. i

' 5. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, arotarycam shaft, means for rotating the cam shaft cams mounted on theshaft and operating to impart non-rotary knitting movements to therespective knitting elements, a pair of balancing devices, eachincluding weights mounted for revolution, the devices tending toneutralize the vibrational forces produced by the non-rotary movementsof the knitting elements, and means for driving the balancing devices.

6. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, arotarycam shaft, means for rotating the cam shaft, cams mounted on the shaftand operating to impart non-rotary knitting movements to the respectiveknitting elements, 9. pair of balancing devices, each including weightsmounted for revolution, the devices tending to neutralize thevibrational forces produced by the non-rotary movements of the knittingelements, and means for driving the balancing devices, the weights ofone device being revolved at a multiple of the speed of said cam shaft.

'7. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, arotary cam shaft, means for rotating the cam shaft, cams mounted on theshaft and operating to impart non-rotary knitting movements to therespective knitting elements, a rotary balancing device includingbalance weights revoluble about .an axis, and means for driving saiddevice and causing said weights to produce second period vibrationalforces tending to neutralize the second period component of thevibrational forces produced by the nonrotary motions of the knittingelements.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, a rotarycam shaft, cams mounted on said shaft and imparting non-rotary knittingmovements to the respective elements,

- driving means for rotating the cam shaft including a hand wheel shaft,and a balancing device driven from the hand wheel shaft,'said device 40including revoluble weights and being effective to produce vibrationalforces tending to neutralize the vibrational forces produced by thenon-rotary movements of the knitting elements.

9. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, a rotarycam shaft, cams mounted on said'shaft and imparting non-rotary knittingmovements to the respectiveelements, driving means for rotating the camshaft including a hand wheel shaft, balance weights on the hand wheelshaft, an auxiliary rotary balancing means, and driving means foractuating the auxiliary balancing means, the weights and auxiliarybalancing means producing vibrational forces tending to neutralize thevibrational forces produced by the non-rotary movements of the knittingelements.

10. In a knitting-machine, the combination of knitting elements, arotary cam shaft, cams mounted on said shaft and imparting non-rotaryknitting movements to the respective elements,

driving means for rotating the cam shaft including a hand wheel shaft,balance weights on the hand wheel shaft, an auxiliary rotary balancingdevice including revoluble weights, and means for operating theauxiliary rotary balancing device,

the balance weights and device producing vibrational forces tending toneutralize the vibrational forces produced by the non-rotary movementsof the knitting elements.

11. me knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, a rotarycam shaft, cams mounted on said shaft and imparting non-rotary movementsto the knitting elements, driving means for the cam shaft, balancingmeans oper- 75 able to produce vibrational forces tending to neutralizethe vibrational forces produced by the non-rotary movements of theknitting elements, said balancing means including weights mounted on thecam shaft for free revolution relative thereto, and means for drivingthe balancing 5 means.

12. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements, arotary cam shaft, cams mounted on said shaft and imparting non-rotarymovements to the knitting elements, driving means for the cam shaft,balancing means operable to produce vibrational forces tending toneutralize the vibrational forces produced by the nonrotary movements ofthe'knitting elements, said balancing means including a shaft andweights' thereon, and means for rotating the shaft of the balancingmeans at a speed which is a multiple of that of the cam shaft.

' 13. In a knitting machine, the combination of knitting elements,including thread guides and a bar supporting the guides, means forimparting non-rotary movements to the knitting elements, said meansincluding a rotary cam shaft, cams mounted thereon, a rock shaft drivenfrom the cam shaft, and connections between the rock shaft and thethread guide supporting bar, a balancing device including a shaftmounted for ro-' tation in proximity to said rock shaft and weightsVmounted thereon, said device being operable to produce vibrationalforces tending to neutralize the vibrational forces resulting from thenon-rotary movements of the knitting elements, and means for rotatin theshaft of the balancing de vice. l

14. In a knitting machine having knitting elements, a rotary cam shaft,cams mounted on the shaft and operating to impart non-rotary knittingmovements to the respective knitting elements andmeans for rotating thecam shaft, the combination of a balancing device including weightsmounted for revolution and operable to produce vibrational forcestending to neutralize the vibrational forces produced by the non-rotarymovements of the knitting elements, and means for driving the balancingdevice.

15. In a knitting machine having knitting elements, a rotary cam shaft,cams mounted on the shaft and operating to impart non-rotary knittingmovements to the respective knitting elements, and means for rotatingthe cam shaft, the. combination of a pair of balancing devices operableto produce vibrational forces tending to neutralize the vibrationalforces produced by the non-rotary movements of the knitting elements,'thedevices including weights mounted for revolution, and means forcausing the weights of the devices to revolve.

16. In a knitting machine having knitting elements, a rotary cam shaft,cams mounted on the shaft and operating to impart non-rotary knittingmovements to the respective knitting elements. and means for rotatingthe cam shaft, the combination of abalancing device including a shaftand weights thereon; the device being operable to produce vibrationalforces tending to neutralize the vibrational forces produced by thenon-rotary movements of the knitting elements, and means for rotatingthe shaft of the balancing device.

1'7. In a knitting machine having knitting elements, a rotary cam shaft,cams mounted on the shaft and operating to impart non-rotary knittingmovements to the respective knitting elements, and means for rotatingthe cam shaft, the combination of a pair of balancing devices oper- 75able to produce vibrational forces produced by elements, drive means forrotating the cam shaft,

the non-rotary movements of the knitting eleand means for applying tothemachine as a ments, each device including a shaft mounted Wholevibrational forces tending to neutralize the for rotation and weightssecuredto the shaft, vibrational forces produced by the non-rotary andmeans for rotating the shafts of the balancmovements of the knittingelements, said means 5 ing devices. including rotary elements rotated ata speed dif- 18. In a knitting machine, the combination of ferent fromthat of the cam shaft.

knitting elements, a rotary cam shaft, cams mounted on the shaft andimparting non-rotary WILLIAM D. KELLOGG.

10 knitting movements to the respective knitting JOHN FRADENBURGH. 10

